Let’s talk about sex. And by sex, I mean insurance.

I bet you’re wondering where I’m going with this. Think back to when you were a teenager. You started started having crushes. You started focusing more on your hair and your outfits. At some point you probably sprayed on entirely too much Axe or layered on midnight black eyeliner.

And you probably had a lot of questions. Questions that you would never dare to ask your parents. Too embarrassing, you say. They’ll get mad, you say.

After six years in the insurance industry, I’ve realized that for some people, ‘the insurance talk’ is just as awkward and uncomfortable.

How is it that a client of ten years can just mail you a generic cancellation request without as much as a phone call or explanation? Why didn’t they call you first if they had a problem or concern?

I’ll tell you why. The same reasons you didn’t want to have ‘the talk’ with your parents. They’re embarrassed. They’re afraid we’re going to get mad. They don’t want to have the awkward conversation.

It’s easier for some people to go to a new agency, give them personal information, get new quotes, sign a new application and start all over. Easier than calling their current agent and asking why their rates went up or if there’s anything they can do to save money.

I try to address and encourage ‘the talk’ before it’s even brought up by the client. In any conversation I have, not only with a new client, but a veteran client as well, I always emphasize open lines of communication. I encourage clients never to hesitate contacting our office with any questions at all – even if they feel it’s silly. I’d rather answer 20 ‘silly’ questions than lose an account.

It takes practice to get comfortable having ‘the talk’ but hey – practice makes perfect.